In this sequel to Save the Cupcake!, Lisa Papademetriou continues her commitment to diversity. Besides fleshing out some characters with autism and food allergies, she also introduces a new character who is Latino.
I liked that Hayley continued to be relatable. She's just a regular kid, trying to deal with regular middle school problems. Okay, she has a particular talent for baking cupcakes, and happens to be able to sell them in her grandmother's cafe, but otherwise she really seems normal. While struggling through her parents' divorce, she loses her two best friends, she pines over a crush, and she finds herself the victim of mean girl behavior. She just doesn't know what to do. To be honest, there really isn't a lot of cheer in this book, other than the hope that comes with a couple budding friendships.
I found it particularly interesting that in this book, Hayley made a series of bad decisions, the kinds that are probably typical among teenagers. Papademetriou did a great job depicting the way a teenager might really justify engaging in behavior that they know to be wrong. I also liked that Hayley doesn't really get away with anything, and has to face the consequences of her actions.
Finally, I will note that while I totally appreciate the author's efforts in promoting food allergy awareness, I think the incident of anaphylaxis as described in the book doesn't really do a good job of spreading accurate information. In the book, when a character has an anaphylactic allergic reaction, she is taken to a doctor's office. In real life, it is generally recommended that 911 be called immediately, and the patient be taken to an ER. Ideally, an EpiPen would have been administered if one had been available, and it's unfortunate that the author didn't at least include a mention of EpiPens. I dare say I might have given this book 5 stars if not for this sketchy portrayal of how to deal with anaphylaxis.
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